SITE MAP – EASY AND QUICK NAVIGATION
Welcome to the website of my hometown – Jáchymov
Ecce, florent valles cum Evangelio
(See the blooming valleys with the Gospel)
Johannes Mathesius
What’s new on the site? Find out at the bottom of this page — both in text and in images.
The photo gallery for this site can be found next to the individual articles or directly at: http://mipalfi.rajce.idnes.cz/
This site contains photographs by third parties; please do not copy them without the permission of the copyright holders.
Do not use any other copyrighted documents without permission.
“The history of mining is so closely interwoven with the history of the country that it is impossible to separate them; indeed, it is certain that the rich mineral blessing of this land, which resounded throughout Europe, contributed greatly to this…”
Count Kaspar Sternberg — Outline of a History of the Bohemian Mines
Joachimsthal is becoming the basis of spa treatment used by patients from all over the world, but also a place of pilgrimage known for its history, architectural treasures, and natural beauty.
Marie Curie-Skłodowska, 1925
A warm welcome to the website about my hometown — Joachimsthal (Jáchymov).
The town of Jáchymov is a wonderful place. On one hand, we find evidence of geological and human wealth and a beautiful landscape; on the other, signs of decline, destruction, and a landscape ruined by human activity, recklessness, carelessness, and the ever-present lure of money. In the case of Joachimsthal, however, the decisive factor is above all ore mining.
The occasional visitor will probably be struck by one of the local contrasts: the carefully restored spa district and, on the other hand, the devastated and therefore dilapidated upper town. Yet almost all historical monuments are concentrated there. However, if the visitor narrows one eye and uses their imagination, they may see not only the buildings but also a certain atmosphere enveloping the town — a town where past and present merge.
Jáchymov is a town that I love and of which I am proud. You may argue that there is nothing special about it, that it is just a place in the middle of nowhere, where nothing happens except spa treatments. I hope I can convince you that this is not the case.
For the record: the Czech name of the Ore Mountains, “Krušné hory,” does not come from the idea that life here is particularly harsh (krušný — rough, hard to endure). The name refers to the rich mining tradition of these mountains. In the past, the verb “krušiti” meant to mine or extract. In German, the range is called Erzgebirge — Ore Mountains. Moreover, many names of towns, villages, and mountains bear witness to mining in what was once the most densely populated mountain range in Europe. For example: Gottesgab, Seifen, Kupfberg, Keilberg, Špičák, and Cínovec. In the 19th century, it was the most densely populated mountain range in the world.
IF YOU LIKE THE WEBSITE, TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT IT. IF YOU DO NOT LIKE THE WEBSITE, WRITE AND TELL ME WHY.
Many thanks to Mrs. M. M. Šechtlová for permission to use photographs from the Šechtl–Voseček studio, and to Mr. Mgr. V. Vojíř for providing photographs of contemporary Joachimsthal, as well as to many others who selflessly provided their works or memories for the purposes of this website.
If you have photographs of Joachimsthal from the past or present and would like to present them, I will gladly provide space for them. A link to your page in your own folder is, of course, included.
THE FIRST RADON SPA IN THE WORLD
2026-03-15
The spa of Jáchymov is considered the first spa in the world where radon water began to be systematically used for medical treatment. The origin of this unique spa facility was the result of the connection between mining, scientific research and medical practice at the beginning of the twentieth century. It was in Jáchymov that radioactive water from a deep mine was first used to treat patients, creating an entirely new field of spa medicine.
SPA BUILDINGS
2026-03-15
The spa complex of Jáchymov consists of a number of spa houses, sanatoria, villas and hotels that were gradually built from the beginning of the twentieth century onwards. Some of them still serve the spa industry today, while others were later rebuilt or transferred into private ownership. The following overview lists spa buildings regardless of whether they are still used for spa treatment today.
JÁCHYMOV RADON WATER
2026-03-15
The spa town of Jáchymov is famous for its unique radon water that originates deep within the geological structures of the Ore Mountains massif. Its therapeutic effects are connected with the presence of radon – a radioactive gas produced during the decay of radium and uranium in surrounding rocks. Water that is tens of thousands of years old is still pumped today from the depths of the Svornost mine and forms the basis of spa treatment in Jáchymov.
ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE SPA TRADITION
2026-03-15
The Jáchymov spa belongs among the most unique spa facilities in the world. It is in fact the only spa in the world that operates its own deep mine and employs miners alongside its spa personnel. The origin of the local spa treatment is closely connected with ore mining in the Jáchymov district and with the discovery of radioactive springs in the Svornost and Werner (Rovnost) mines.
OTTO HAHN (1879–1968)
2026-03-04
German chemist, discoverer of nuclear fission and Nobel Prize laureate in chemistry. He visited Jáchymov in connection with a scientific meeting devoted to radioactivity and its use in spa treatment.
